Ratas: Madise upholds the oath of office of the Chancellor of Justice

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center) said he believes Ülle Madise is upholding the oath of office of the Chancellor of Justice with her proposals for the draft pension reform after she was criticized by coalition members on Thursday.
Speaking to ERR on Friday, he said: "Speaking of Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise's opinion, she has told the Riigikogu and the Ministries of Finance and Social Affairs that she is neither opposed to, nor in favor of, the proposed reform. And it has been explicitly stated that this is a political issue and is then subject to the discretion of the legislature and, where appropriate, to the judicial body. I think Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise fulfills the oath of office of the Chancellor of Justice."
On Thursday, Isamaa chairman Helir-Valdor Seeder and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) Chairman Mart Helme said Ülle Madise had expressed political judgment on the reforms put forward for the second pillar pension fund reforms. As her position is non-political this would be overstepping her remit.
Madise replied to their comments by saying she is and will remain politically neutral. "Some legal positions may not appeal to some politicians, but they cannot prevent them from performing their duties," Madise said.
"Everyone is doing their job. The public accusation of not upholding the oath of office and keeping the promise made to the Riigikogu to declare constitutional problems is inappropriate," Madise added.
Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise wrote in a letter to Riigikogu Finance Committee chair Aivar Kokk on Wednesday that the proposed pension reform as raise several constitutional questions. These included the implementation time fo the reform, unequal treatment of people who have and have not joined the scheme, that the reform will have retroactive effects, and leavers decisions will affect everyone's pension assets.
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Editor: Helen Wright